VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Inisglory launched himself to the top of the local 3-year-old division with a nose decision over Jump Up and Kissme in the $50,000 River Rock Casino last Sunday at Hastings. Inhisglory showed a new dimension in that he was a lot closer to the pace than he was when he came from last to finish second in the Jim Coleman Province in his first start locally. Both races were at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Nacho Friend, a game second on opening day when compromised by a lack of speed in the field, returns in Friday’s featured eighth race at Monmouth Park, a second-level optional $32,000 claiming race at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. But will he again have to contend with a controlled pace?
With the local prep races for the June 24-25 Iowa Festival of Racing over, attention returns to the Iowa-breds in this Friday's featured $75,000 guaranteed Hawkeyes Handicap.
For fillies and mares over 1 1/16 miles, the Hawkeyes drew eight and sees the return of two-time defending champion L D's Shes Special, the star of breeder-owner-trainer Larry Dunbar's small string. A deep-closing 8-year-old daughter of Evansville Slew, she will be ridden by fellow veteran Perry Compton. She finished strongly in her June 5 1:02 five-furlong workout over this surface.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ontario-sired 3-year-olds will be in the spotlight here Saturday in the $125,000 Bold Ruckus.
And adding intrigue is the presence of Sinister Quill, who will be looking to become the first filly to win the six-furlong turf stakes.
Sinister Quill, who is by Old Forester and out of Sinhouse, suffered her first defeat when making her fourth career start in the Lady Angela, a seven-furlong race for Ontario-sired 3-year-old fillies here May 23.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – If racing fans were to vote on which horse is the best horse on the Friday twilight program at Churchill Downs, there is little doubt that General Quarters would win in a landslide.
Ah, but if the issue was only that easy.
General Quarters, who can claim victories in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes at 3 and the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at 4, will be making his 5-year-old debut under less-than-ideal circumstances in the ninth of 11 Friday races, a $64,700, classified allowance at seven furlongs.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – I’m Not Afraid exceeded the Beyer Speed Figure par of 77 for the first-level allowance level at Woodbine when she graduated earning a 79 Beyer on May 1. She should be favored in the second race Friday, a six-furlong allowance for fillies and mares that has come up fairly weak.
I’m Not Afraid commenced her career last August at Arlington by finishing a fast-closing second in a turf sprint. Trainer Dan Peitz tried her over Keeneland’s Polytrack next time out in October, and she wound up a close third with a career-high 82 Beyer.
ELMONT, N.Y. -- He was 68-1 when nearly pulling off an upset in the Florida Derby, 23-1 when fourth in the Kentucky Derby, and 12-1 when he captured the Preakness Stakes three weeks ago. Shackleford, it seems, is the ultimate outsider. Considering such, he received an appropriate post position for Saturday’s 143rd Belmont Stakes, landing the outside post among the 12 3-year-olds who were entered Wednesday morning in the final leg of the Triple Crown.
ELMONT, N.Y. - Trainer Doodnauth Shivmangal on Wednesday said he would not run Harlan's Hello in Saturday's Belmont Stakes, meaning a field of 12 will be entered later this morning when post positions are drawn for the Test of the Champion.
The expected field is: Animal Kingdom, Brilliant Speed, Isn't He Perfect, Master of Hounds, Monzon, Mucho Macho Man, Nehro, Prime Cut, Ruler on Ice, Santiva, Shackleford, and Stay Thirsty.
"I'm not worried about Shackleford. I'm worried about Mucho Macho Man. He's the horse to beat." -- Barry Irwin, Animal Kingdom owner.
"I'll meet him anywhere, on any track, at any distance." -- Dale Romans, Shackleford trainer.
